A Steel Town (A Gateway to Love #3)

by Chloe Barlow

  “Well, he’s not here right now, is he? Don’t you want to learn how to make friends? You don’t want to be cooped up all by yourself forever, do you?”

  “No?”

  “No, is right. My friend is European. It’s about time you were exposed to culture that didn’t come from a hard drive. Now, be a gentleman and come downstairs with me.”

  Rubbing a little hand across his face, he stumbled out of his desk chair. His mother held his face and kissed him on the forehead.

  “At least you’re still dressed. Here, put this jacket on,” she commanded, holding out a navy sports coat to him. He complied. “Much better. Oh, you are such a handsome angel.”

  “Thank you, Mom,” he muttered sheepishly. She looked at him with a vague smile until he added, “And you look very pretty.”

  “Why thank you, as well. See, such an elegant little man,” she responded proudly. She really was beautiful. Tonight, her dark hair was spilling over her shoulders and framing her gray eyes, which looked like a mirror of his own.

  She took his hand and steered him to the main staircase.

  His head was still fuzzy, but he could make out the sound of steps running toward them.

  “Dad?”

  “It’s okay, son, I came home early to check on you. Abigail! What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

  “Having a dinner party. So?”

  “You bypassed security. If it weren’t for Ian figuring out who you invited into my house…”

  “Excuse me, Aldous. Your house?”

  “Don’t start that shit now, Abby.”

  “What about my guests?”

  “Your guests? Ian’s taking care of them. Do you have any idea what kind of dangerous people you brought into our home…who you allowed to have access to our son?”

  “Dad, it’s okay,” he interrupted. “Don’t yell at Mom, please.”

  His father took a breath and crouched in front of him, resting his hands on his shoulders.

  “Little man, I’m sorry I yelled. But you need to know your safety is the only thing that will ever matter to me.”

  “I’m okay, Dad.”

  “You won’t be, not forever…”

  “Damn it, Aldous, he’s just a child.”

  “No, he’s not. He’s very special, and he needs to be protected.”

  “You’re going to turn him into a freak. Stop being such a lunatic.”

  His father stood, face red with anger.

  “Don’t tell me about putting him at risk, Abigail. What kind of a life are you trying to live here?”

  “None that isn’t approved by you, I suppose,” she taunted in a sarcastic tone. “I mean it. I don’t know how much longer I can put up with this. The way you control me and Theodore is unconscionable.”

  “There are consequences to the things we do. You are playing games with his safety.”

  “And what about you? Isn’t it just as unsafe what you’re doing? He’s going to be alone his whole life at this rate. Don’t you want him to have friends? For someone to love him? People need more.”

  “All you ever want is more! This isn’t even about him, for you,” his father roared.

  “Dad, Mom, stop!”

  Yet, they kept shouting, until his eyes welled with tears and he couldn’t focus anymore. They steadily disappeared from view, into blackness.

  Trey awoke slowly, disoriented by the lingering remnants of sleeping during the day.

  He had no idea how long he’d been out, but when he reached over to hold Claudia and ground himself again, he found she was gone.

  Ignoring the immediate sense of emptiness and worry, which came from this discovery, Trey dressed himself. His clothes from earlier were conveniently set out for him, neatly folded on a nearby chair. The thought of Claudia taking the time to do such a domesticated task for him brought a smile to his lips.

  He found her quickly. She was bundled up on the patio bench feverishly clacking away on a laptop, while taking brief breaks to peer at something on the armrest next to her.

  The wind had picked up, accompanied by threatening gray clouds, which were causing the water on the lake to quiver and shake.

  “Aren’t you cold?” he asked, startling her.

  “Christ, Trey. Give me a heart attack, why don’t you?” She gasped, then turned and grinned at him.

  He approached her, leaning over the back of the bench to kiss her, and tried to catch a glimpse of her computer screen.

  “Mmm,” she hummed in response. Trey eased away, which gave her a chance to look him up and down. “You know, it should be illegal for someone to look as good as you when they just wake up.”

  “It would just be one more entry in my rapidly expanding criminal record,” he deadpanned as he leaned over, resting his forearms on the back of the bench. “But, apparently I didn’t look good enough, since you left me,” he pouted.

  She tickled his cheek with her left hand and kissed him back.

  “Trust me, it wasn’t easy. My pump was beeping, so I got up to refill it and eat something. I didn’t want to wake you. I was too wound up about everything going on, anyway. I had to start working.”

  “And what is it you keep checking on?” Trey peered over her shoulder to spy a fat bumblebee resting on the edge of a liquid-filled metal spoon.

  “Oh, this is Ernie. I found him out here and saw he was in distress.”

  “And you brought him a spoon?”

  “Yep. It’s full of sugar water,” she clarified, returning her attention to the screen. “I’m multitasking. Bumblebees and honeybees can become hypoglycemic, just like me. They’re especially at risk in the autumn, when there are fewer flowers available. My mother used that fact to help me understand what was different about me. All Ernie needs is a little sugar and he’ll be okay.”

  “So you just stop whatever you’re doing and nurse bees back to health?”

  She blushed a little. “I’ve been doing it since I was a kid. Who knows, maybe it will be good karma for me some day.”

  “I like that idea,” Trey whispered, toying with a lock of her hair, which had escaped from her ponytail and was blowing in the breeze.

  “It’s where my family got their stupid nickname for me — ‘abeja,’ it means ‘bee.’ Seriously, I am the only Latina in the world called that.”

  “Would you prefer ‘bebé’ or ‘muñequita’?” he asked, slipping his hand along the slim back of her neck and smiling at her responding happy sigh.

  “Probably not, but I do like the way those words sound when you say them. I think you’ve been secretly learning Spanish, mi chico guapo?”

  “I’ve learned a lot of things since I met you.”

  “Not as many as you’ve taught me. I especially like what I’ve learned from you the last few days.”

  Trey leaned forward to kiss her, but they became distracted by the sight of a now spry bumblebee flying away.

  “I did it!” Claudia exclaimed. A bolt of lightning, and a few large drops of rain cut her joy short. “Quick! The laptop, get it inside!” she ordered, shoving it into Trey’s hands before she scrambled off the bench.

  They scurried toward the house, but the light shower rapidly escalated into a downpour, before they could make it inside. Trey used his body to protect the closed laptop, rendering it the only dry thing between the two of them.

  Shivering, Claudia closed the French doors behind her, and the air filled with the sounds of their giddy laughter and the pelting rain outside.

  The sight of her hair and clothes dripping with rain warmed his chilled blood. Transfixed by the sight of her hardened nipples through her wet tee shirt, Trey stated firmly, “Claudia, take off your clothes.”

  “What?”

  “You heard me. Take…off…your…clothes. You’re very wet,” he added with a smirk, still reveling in the way his words had the power to make her blush. “I’d hate for you to catch a cold.”

  “No chance of that happening with you around.”

&
nbsp; “Oh, is that my abeja’s stinger?”

  “You know I don’t really like that nickname, right?”

  “Oh, come on now,” he cajoled, peeling her wet shirt off her. “You wouldn’t want to hurt Ernie the Bumblebee’s feelings would you? Besides, I like thinking of you like a bee — someone who can defend herself, but whom I can still help when you need it.”

  The lights began to flicker, and a quick shot of fear ran up Trey’s spine, stilling his hands as they made their way to the button of her waistband.

  “Shit, if the power goes out… What will we do with your insulin? How can we investigate…” Trey murmured.

  “Stop that.”

  “What?”

  “Being so obsessed with what will happen next. My insulin will be fine in the cooler bag for a short period of time. And I’ve managed to do low-tech things like work with paper before.” Claudia stated matter-of-factly before removing his wet shirt and throwing it across the room. She spoke again, punctuating each word with a warm, seductive kiss to his neck. “We…us. You…and me,” she cooed, slipping one arm around his waist and using her other hand to turn his face to hers, forcing his eyes to meet her own. “We are all that matters right now. Please enjoy this moment with me, because we don’t know how many more moments we may have — especially with everything going on right now. All we know is that we have this one, and I am never going to let it go.”

  With that, she sealed her lips over his, and he didn’t care if he never had electricity ever again.

  The slow trails Trey’s tongue was making along Claudia’s spine sent chills through her body, despite the steaming spray of water coursing over them from above. His accompanying touch was gentle and soothing — caring for her in a way, which felt almost like worship.

  After they’d peeled off each other’s cold, wet clothes, she’d dragged Trey to the master bathroom for a shower.

  Claudia had mumbled something about warming them up after the onslaught of rain, though all she really wanted was an excuse to stare at Trey naked and soaking wet. Trey had different plans, though — taking her from behind against the vanity. The cold granite had cooled her fingers as they watched themselves joining together in the glass of the bathroom mirror.

  It had amazed her how each time felt a little different, stimulating various parts of her body and mind. His hands on her body had been rough, but his eyes in the mirror were full of love. When he had made one last deep thrust into her, they both came, causing her to arch back, hard. The sudden movement had jarred Trey’s hand against the cord of her pump, which she’d rested on the edge of the sink.

  Suddenly, she’d found herself screaming out for a much different reason. Oblivious, Trey held her, his arms wrapped tightly around her, his face nestling into her neck. Desperate to hide her pain, she’d stilled against him, remaining silent, but the mirror had given her away.

  “What’s wrong?” he’d asked.

  Before she could form a lie, she saw his reflection catch sight of the needle resting innocently beside her.

  “Oh, fuck, I’m so sorry. Are you okay? No, of course you’re not.”

  “It’s not your fault. I got carried away. It could’ve been worse. I just need to breathe through it and put the needle back in.”

  Overcome with a childish sense of shame at ruining such a perfect moment, Claudia had made quick work of disconnecting the pump from the needle. Yet, as she tried to leave, his hand moved to her arm, stopping her.

  “No, I want to watch. I need to understand.”

  His eyes had held so much worry and agony, Claudia wondered if it had hurt him, more than her.

  “O-okay.” Averting her eyes, she went through the grueling process of inserting the long needle into her stomach.

  Even now in the shower, she could remember the feel of his intense gaze as her hands worked. When she’d finally finished, he tilted her chin so she had to face him.

  “Thank you for that. I promise to be more careful with you.”

  “It’s not like that…”

  “Shh, let’s go take that shower,” he’d responded simply.

  After Trey had managed to kiss most of her body under the water, she turned and wrapped her arms around his waist.

  “Do you feel better?” he asked.

  “Yes, I’m sorry you had to see that.”

  “Don’t be sorry. You can’t help it.”

  Claudia leaned in, resting her cheek against his chest.

  “My whole life…this body has been my biggest enemy. It didn’t help I grew up in a world of athletes and had a model mother. Everyone in my family…their bodies are their careers. I know my dad was disgusted with me…and my condition. I refuse to believe I’m sick, but I know he always saw me as broken. He left so soon after that, for good. Or bad, who knows.”

  “If that’s true, then I look forward to kicking his ass someday.”

  “It would be tough for you to find him. He only surfaces to do random NFL commentary, or to gamble in Vegas.” Trey moved his chin to the top of her head and grunted a little. She continued. “I did everything I could to be like everyone else, but at night, I’d go to sleep and wonder if I would always be nothing but a monster with a big, lumpy pump connected to my stomach.”

  “I personally am a big fan of that pump,” Trey said, leaning back to show her the teasing grin on his face, as he started caressing her bottom. “I sure as hell don’t like the idea of the alternative. And, for what it’s worth, I think this body of yours is perfect.”

  “You’re proving to be a secret softy, Trey Adler.”

  “Only for you, Claudia McCoy. And not just in that way. You’ve ruined me for the world in all kinds of other ways.”

  She swallowed, hard, “Then I’d better get back to work. This escape has been amazing, but you are in serious trouble, and I don’t want to lose you to it.”

  Trey nodded, turning off the water, and helping her out of the shower. She grabbed two towels, studying his strained expression. The loud rumbling of thunder interrupted their nervous conversation, followed by the flickering of lights, and then darkness.

  “Shit,” Trey muttered.

  “It’s okay. We’ve got candles, there’s one in here, and the lantern in the living room. Let’s set up shop in there. I’ll make a fire while you collect all the paper files.”

  “You seem pretty relaxed, considering the mess I’ve dragged you into.”

  “Believe me, I’m freaking out inside a little,” she answered, rummaging through a drawer, then lighting a candle before hanging up her towel and carrying the small candle into the bedroom and finding one of Trey’s button-down shirts to wear. She had her own clothes, of course, but she liked the idea of being close to him. “But we can’t control everything,” she added. “All we can do is try to find a solution. Now, go out there and get me some wood.” She smirked and handed him another lit candle.

  “You know how to make a fire?”

  “Of course I do, city boy,” Claudia taunted, pressing her hand on his chest and letting her homegrown twang come through her voice. “I’m a native born and bred Texican, so that means you’re in my world, and you have to do what I say.”

  “With pleasure,” he assured her with a smile.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  Claudia placed her pen down on the coffee table and stifled a yawn. Glancing outside, she found the sky was turning from streaky orange and rose to a glowing blue twilight. Distant lightning occasionally illuminated the lake for one brilliant moment, but the stunning sight was blurry to her exhausted eyes. She rubbed her index fingers back and forth across her eyelids, giving herself a moment of relief.

  For hours she’d pored over files chock-full of documents, including pictures, government records from various nations, newspaper clippings, intercepted communications, and the scrawl of Trey’s feverishly handwritten notes. Lexis and her team were innovative, prolific, talented, and — at times — ruthless.

  Staring at hard copy evidence of Trey
’s almost decade-long manic pursuit of a vendetta was both daunting and depressing, but she couldn’t let that slow her down.

  Claudia had spent weeks trying to solve Jack Taylor’s murder. If she could help bring justice to his family, and maybe find Trey some freedom and peace, then a little tiredness would be a small price to pay.

  She sighed, leaning forward to swap out a folder on hacking of a Chilean businessman’s accounts and personal investments. It was one of their clean smash-and-grab jobs. Its success was made all the easier for the mark’s reluctance to cooperate with the investigation, most likely due to his suspected links to organized crime.

  No — Claudia was more interested in the few operations where Lexis and her team had failed in some way. Which brought her hand back to the Sydney file — the job , which started her link to Lexis in the first place.

  “I’m back,” Trey announced, entering the room from behind her. He held a plate filled with sandwiches and chips and placed it on the small portion of the table not buried in papers.

  “Honey, you baked!” Claudia teased.

  Trey straightened up, a bashful smile on his face. “This city boy of yours is used to ordering out, so hopefully this is edible.”

  Claudia smiled softly. “It’ll be great, I’m sure. Honestly, I’m so distracted, it could be sawdust and I would eat it.”

  “You flatter me,” Trey remarked, and she threw him a little smirk. “How’s my old-school detective doing?” he asked, throwing another log on the fire.

  “Not being able to work with a computer is threatening to give me hives right now, but I guess it’s good to remember how to think without a computer every once in a while. Keeps me sharp.” She turned to him. “Where were you all this time?”

  “Talking to Stephen. The burner phone still has enough juice to check in with him every eight hours. In the meantime, he’s working on getting a generator for us.”

  “Thank God. Be sure to tell Stephen he’s my hero,” she said with a smile.

  “Careful, you wouldn’t want to make me jealous, would you?”

  “You’ll survive. Now focus. I want to talk through some things with you.”